The following terms and abbreviations are herewith defined, at least some of which are referred to within the following description of the prior art and the present invention.    BSS Base Station System    CDR Call Detail Record    CGF Charging Gateway Functionality    E-UTRAN Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network    FFS For Further Study    GERAN GSM EDGE Radio Access Network    GGSN Gateway GPRS Support Node    GPRS General Packet Radio Service    GSM Global System for Mobile Communication    HSS Home Subscriber Server    HLR Home Location Register    IASA Inter Access System Anchor    IMSI International Mobile Subscriber Identity    IP Internet Protocol    LI Lawful Interception    LTE Long Term Evolution    MSC Mobile Switching Center    MME Mobility Management Entity    PCEF Policy and Charging Enforcement Function    PCRF Policy and Charging Rules Function    PDN Packet Data Network    PDP Packet Data Protocol    PLMN Public Land Mobile Network    QoS Quality of Service    SAE System Architecture Evolution    SGSN Serving GPRS Support Node    S-GW Serving Gateway    SM-SC Short Message-Service Centre    SMS Short Message Service    TA Tracking Area    TEID Tunnel End Point Identifier    UE User Equipment    UMTS Universal Mobile Telecommunications System    UPE User Plane Entity    UTRAN UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network    VLR Visitor Location Register    WLAN Wireless Local-Area Network    MME: The MME manages and stores the UE contexts which contain UE/user identities, UE mobility state, user security parameters. The MME generates temporary identities and allocates them to UEs. The MME checks the authorization whether the UE may camp on the TA or on the PLMN. The MME also authenticates the user.    S-GW: The S-GW terminates for idle state UEs the downlink data path and triggers paging when downlink data arrives for the UEs. The S-GW manages and stores UE contexts, e.g. parameters of the IP bearer service or network internal routing information. The S-GW also performs replication of the user traffic in case of interception.    UE Context: The UE Context stores all the information related to a specific UE. The UE context is created when a node becomes aware of the corresponding UE (for example at attach) and is removed when the UE disappears from the node due to some other network event (for example the UE is switched off, or is handed over to another node). The term UE context is a general term where the actual information contained within the UE context might differ, depending on which node one is referring to, for instance, the MME might store authentication keys, cell identify, allowed tracking areas in its UE contexts, while the UPE (or S-GW) might store packet filters and tunnel endpoints in its UE contexts.    UPE: The UPE terminates for idle state UEs the downlink data path and triggers paging when downlink data arrives for the UEs. The UPE manages and stores UE contexts, e.g. parameters of the IP bearer service or network internal routing information. The UPE also performs replication of the user traffic in case of interception (note: the UPE and S-GW may be the same node).
Referring to FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART), there is shown a diagram of an exemplary mobile packet telecommunications network 100 which has an architecture in accordance with the standard 3GPP TR 23.882 v.1.11.1. This particular mobile packet telecommunications network 100 which has an evolved packet core is described in detail within the 3GPP TR 23.882 v.1.11.1 entitled “3GPP System Architecture Evolution: Report on Technical Options and Conclusions (Release 7)”, dated June 2007 (the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein). As such, those skilled in the art are familiar with the architecture and functionality of this particular mobile packet telecommunications network 100. Thus, for clarity only the UPE 102 and the MME 104 which happen to be relevant to the present discussion are going to be discussed in detail herein while the other well known components or entities like the E-UTRAN, SGSN, HSS, PCRF, GERAN, Charging System, SAE Anchor, PDN Gateway, UTRAN etc. . . . are not discussed in detail within this document. In this example, the UPE 102 is shown in the same box as the MME 104. However, even though the UPE 102 and MME 104 appear together in this architectural diagram, this is not necessarily a requirement and if desired the UPE 102 could be separated from the MME 104 when they are actually deployed.
The UPE 102 functions to handle a user plane which is related to packet bearer communications while the MME 104 functions to handle a control plane that is related to the packet bearer communications (see the aforementioned definitions of the UPE 102 and the MME 104). In particular, the UPE 102 by being part of an evolved packet core pursuant to the standard 3GPP TR 23.882 v.1.11.1 provides the following functions (for example):
1. Packet routing and forwarding: For intra-UPE handovers without an MME 104 change.
2. Depending on solution: Allocation of a local IP address from the UPE address space where the local IP address is used by mobility mechanisms.
3. FFS: The Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) which is based on TS 23.203 for scenarios involving roaming.
4. Depending on solution: Policy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) based on TS 23.203 for route optimization scenarios.
5. Depending on solution: Collection of charging information for online or offline charging systems where the charging information is related to roaming with home routed traffic. In particular, the UPE 102 may generate CDRs and may deliver the CDRs without passing them through the MME 104.
6. Depending on solution: Collection of charging information when route optimization is applied. In particular, the UPE 102 may generate CDRs and may deliver CDRs without passing them through the MME 104.
7. Depending on solution: Lawful interception of user plane traffic. In particular, the UPE 102 delivers the lawful interception data to the appropriate personnel without passing it through the MME 104. The UPE's 102 control of the lawful interception is independent of the MME 104.
8. Intra E-UTRAN Mobility Anchor for the user plane.
9. Depending on solution: The inter-3GPP access system Mobility Anchor.
10. Triggers and/or initiates a paging when downlink data arrives for a UE while that UE is in the LTE IDLE state.
11. FFS : Routing path establishment and changes with the IASA.
The problem associated with the current UPE 102 will be discussed in detail below after a brief discussion is provided about a newer version of the mobile packet telecommunication network 100 and in particular the evolved packet core which has subsequently been standardized in 3GPP TS 23.401 v1.0.0 entitled “GPRS Enhancements for E-UTRAN Access (Release 8)” dated May 2007 (the contents of this document are incorporated by reference herein). FIGS. 2A and 2B (PRIOR ART) are provided to illustrate the architecture of two exemplary mobile packet telecommunications networks 200a and 200b which have a newer version of an evolved packet core in accordance with 3GPP TS 23.401 v1.0.0.
The people skilled in the art are familiar with the architecture and functionality of these two exemplary mobile packet telecommunications networks 200a and 200b. Thus, for clarity only the S-GW 202 (corresponding with the UPE 102) and the MME 204 (corresponding with the MME 104) which happen to be relevant to the present discussion are going to be discussed in detail herein while the other well known components or entities like the E-UTRAN, SGSN, HSS, PCRF, Charging System, GERAN, PDN Gateway, UTRAN etc . . . are not discussed in this document. In FIG. 2A, the mobile packet telecommunications network 200a is set-up where the S-GW 202 is separated from the MME 204. While, the mobile packet telecommunications network 200b shown in FIG. 2B is set-up where the S-GW 202 is separated from the MME 204 but is also co-located with the PDN Gateway.
The mobile packet telecommunications networks 200a and 200b which are associated with 3GPP TS 23.401 v1.0.0 have a newer version of the evolved packet core when compared to the mobile packet telecommunication network 100 which is configured in accordance with 3GPP TR 23.882 v.1.11.1. One such difference relevant to the present discussion is that the term “S-GW” is used instead of the term “UPE” even though the S-GW 202 still has the many of the same functions as the UPE 102. For example, the S-GW 202 stores and manages UE contexts and handles the user plane for packet bearer communications (note: the MME 204 like the aforementioned MME 104 functions to handle the control plane for the packet bearer communications). Basically, the S-GW 202 is a gateway which terminates an interface between the E-UTRAN and each UE associated with the E-UTRAN. In particular, the S-GW 202 being part of an evolved packet core pursuant to the standard 3GPP TS 23.401 v1.0.0 provides the following functions (for example):
1. Local Mobility Anchor point for Intra E-UTRAN handover.
2. Mobility anchor for inter-3GPP mobility such as terminating S4 traffic and relaying traffic between the 2G/3G system (GERAN and UTRAN) and the PDN GW.
3. E-UTRAN idle mode downlink packet buffering and initiating a network triggered service request procedure.
4. Lawful Interception.
5. Packet routing and forwarding.
The term “traffic plane entity” from hereon is used to denote any component which handles the user plane for packet bearer communications such as, for example, the UPE 102 and the S-GW 202 and even the GGSN in a GPRS network which is discussed at the end of this document (note: the term “control entity” is used hereon to denote any component which handles the control plane for packet bearer communications like for example the two MMEs 102 and 202). Thus, the “traffic plane entity” can implement the functionalities of the UPE 102 and/or the functionalities of the S-GW 202. The problem with the current traffic plane entities 102 and 202 relates to their management and storage of UE contexts which are associated with the UEs. Each UE context stores information about one or more bearers that carry data being sent to and received from a specific UE. Each bearer is identified with a TEID or a TEID in combination with a sub-structure identifier. The problem arises when there is more than one bearer per UE context and where each bearer has an allocated TEID or TEID plus sub-structure identifier. In this situation, the current traffic plane entities 102 and 202 when performing a procedure/function need to individually perform this procedure/function for each individual bearer within a specific UE context. This requirement has the following implications (for example):                It is not possible to perform a mobility management operation or procedure which simultaneously affects all of the bearers within a UE context for a given UE.        It is not possible to perform an Operation and Management operation or procedure which simultaneously affects all of the bearers within a UE context for a given UE.        It is not possible to perform a charging operation or procedure which simultaneously affects all of the bearers within a UE context for a given UE.        It is not possible to perform a legal interception operation or procedure which simultaneously affects all of the bearers within a UE context for a given UE.        It is not possible to perform a policy enforcement operation or procedure which simultaneously affects all of the bearers within a UE context for a given UE.        
This situation is not desirable because the traffic plane entities 102 and 202 need to individually perform these procedures and operations for each individual bearer within the UE context for a given UE. Accordingly, there has been and is a need to address this shortcoming and other shortcomings which are associated with the existing traffic plane entities that are used in a mobile packet telecommunications network. This particular need and other needs are addressed by the present invention.